Editorial

Be smart by being ready for a hurricane

Posted

On June 1, which marked the beginning of hurricane season, Long Island residents in the know began preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.

The season will last through November, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center has forecast activity to be above normal, with a 70 percent chance of 11 to 17 named storms, five or more hurricanes and two or more major hurricanes.

So now’s the time to prepare. Check with the county’s Office of Emergency Management for details on flooding risks in your area, and keep an eye on National Weather Service alerts. The NWS will usually issue a hurricane watch 48 hours in advance, and that’s when the National Hurricane Center advises getting out of damage-prone areas.

You should have an emergency plan for your household, taking into account any family members with special needs — infants, the elderly and the disabled. County officials also recommend keeping a duffel bag with five days’ worth of supplies for you and your family near your front door. Stock it with flashlights, a radio, batteries, rain gear, food that’s easy to store and eat like granola bars, water bottles, medications and, in a waterproof container, documents including IDs and passports. You can familiarize yourself with coastal evacuation routes at www.nassaucountyny.gov/OEM.

Designate someone outside the area to act as communications coordinator during a big storm, and alert him or her before you begin evacuating. Phones — landlines and cells — may not work once a storm hits, so, if possible, have every family member check in with that person instead of trying to reach one another.

And be prepared to deal with post-storm insurance claims in a worst-case scenario. Take photos of every room in your house and all your valuables, in order to make a potentially difficult situation less complicated.

The No. 1 thing many survivors of 2012’s Hurricane Sandy say they would do in the event of another potentially catastrophic storm is leave. Should the worst happen, returning to a damaged home will be traumatic, but if you’re prepared, you can save yourself — and your family — a great deal of avoidable heartache.

For more safety recommendations from Nassau County, visit www.nassaucountyny.gov/OEM.